Level-crossings a safety concern – Dipuo Peters

Motorists’ behaviour is the main reason for railway level-crossing accidents in Kayamandi, Stellenbosch, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said on Thursday.

Motorists and pedestrians were not adhering to safety precautions, she said in speech prepared for delivery at the launch of transport month in Stellenbosch.

Her department had noted that during the off-peak period, because of the low frequency of trains travelling, people tended to disregard rail rules.

“This level-crossing has a boom which automatically drops when a train approaches. However, incidents still continue to take place due to reckless and negligent behaviour of motorists who go around the boom or try to beat the boom and the train,” she said.

Metrorail’s Du Toit station was between 700m and 1km away from the Kayamandi township. Residents walked from the station to their homes, she said.

“The community has now established an illegal level-crossing on the Passenger Rail Agency of SA’s line.”

She said the Kayamandi shopping complex was directly across the rail line, and opposite the complex was a taxi rank.

“This has therefore increased the number of pedestrians crossing on the line from the station, taxis, and the shopping complex,” Peters said.